Unprecedented Pressure for Sainthood: Cardinals Grapple with Succession Politics and Canonization Process

Following the death of Pope John Paul II on April 2, there has been an unusual and unprecedented level of popular pressure to declare him a saint. The canonization campaign, which began soon after the pope's death, reached a peak at his funeral on Friday, with mourners in St. Peter's Square holding banners and chanting for sainthood. The Vatican has been quietly collecting messages from people attesting to healings attributed to the pope, and a petition has been circulated among the cardinals seeking signatures for a fast-track canonization process.

Key Takeaways:

• The canonization campaign may be tied to pre-conclave maneuvering, with some cardinals using it as a way to build a consensus of like-minded cardinals or position one of John Paul's inner circle as the best successor.
• Several cardinals have spoken out in support of rapid canonization, with some even evoking the idea of miraculous healing and the pope's presence in paradise.
• The usual process of canonization involves years of careful investigation, but a group of cardinals is pushing for a fast-track process that would bypass these formalities.
• The movement for canonization may be an attempt to show that only continuity is allowed in the succession of John Paul, according to historian Alberto Melloni.
• A prominent Swiss theologian, Hans Kung, has suggested that the push for canonization is an effort to press the cardinals to choose a successor in line with the pope's conservative thinking.

Statistics:

• Pope John Paul II made more saints, 483, than all of his predecessors put together.
• Since about 1100, only three popes have been canonized: Pope Celestine V, Pope Pius V, and Pope Pius X.
• The Vatican has been quietly collecting messages from people attesting to healing attributed to Pope John Paul II.
• A petition has been circulated among the cardinals seeking signatures for a fast-track canonization process for John Paul II.

Sources:

• Luigi Accattoli, Corriere della Sera
• Christopher M. Bellitto, history professor at Kean University
• Alberto Melloni, historian of Vatican conclaves
• Hans Kung, prominent Swiss theologian
• Kenneth L. Woodward, author of "Making Saints"